Gallium is a chemical element that has an atomic number (Z) 31. The standard atomic weight of Gallium is 69.72 and it is represented by the symbol Ga. In the periodic table, it could be found in group 13 (boron group) and period 4. Gallium is a p-block element and its electronic configuration is 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d10, 4p1. Gallium has 31 electrons, 31 protons and 39 neutrons. At STP Gallium is a soft metal with a silvery-blue appearance. Its melting point is 302.9146 K ?(29.7646 °C, ?85.5763 °F) and its boiling point is 2673 K ?(2400 °C, ?4352 °F). It has a density of 5.91 g/cm3. The electronegativity of gallium is 1.81 (Pauling scale) and its oxidation state can be −5, −4, −3,[3] −2, −1, +1, +2, +3 depending on the reacting species or atom. The 1st ionization energy for gallium required is 578.8 kJ/mol.
Gallium has two stable isotopes Gallium-69 and Gallium-71. Ga-69 has an abundance of 60.11% and Ga-71 has an abundance of 39.89%. Gallium was predicted by Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev in 1871 and he named it "eka-aluminium". Later on French chemist Lecoq de Boisbaudran discovered and isolated it for the first time in 1875. He named it after Gaul ( from Latin Gallia meaning Gaul) which was an old name of France.
It does not exist in a free element in Earth's crust. It can be found in Zinc and Aluminum ores in a very small concentration as a by-product. Major producers of low-grade gallium are China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and Ukraine which is estimated to be 315 tons.
Gallium has a wide range of applications. The following are some of them.
Gallium-67 salts are used in used as radiopharmaceutical agents in nuclear medicine.
Gallium is used for neutrino detection.
It is used in low melting alloys which can be used in medical thermometers.
The commercial demand for gallium in semiconductors is 98%.
It has a wide range of uses in electronics and satellites.
What is gallium used for?
Application and uses of Gallium:
Gallium is used in semiconductors.
Gallium nitride (GaN) and Gallium arsenide (GaAs) are used in electronics, integrated circuits and ultra-high-speed logic chips.
Gallium is used in optoelectronics, fibre-optic and military applications.
Aluminium gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) is used in high-power infrared laser diodes.
It is used in multijunction photovoltaic cells which are developed for satellite power applications.
It is used in neutrino detection.
Gallium-67 salts are used in used as radiopharmaceutical agents in nuclear medicine.
How many valence electrons does gallium have?
Gallium has three valence electron and it is a p-block element. It is in group 13 and period 4 of the periodic table. Its electronic configuration is [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p1.
When was gallium discovered?
Gallium was predicted by Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev in 1871 and he named it "eka-aluminium". Later on French chemist Lecoq de Boisbaudran discovered and isolated it for the first time in 1875. He named it after Gaul ( from Latin Gallia meaning Gaul) which was an old name of France.
